Ground Branch Reaches V1.0 After Years in Early Access
The tactical shooter's full release overhauls nearly every system — AI, armor, maps, and movement — while marking the start of a post-launch roadmap.
After a lengthy Early Access period, Ground Branch has launched as V1.0. The release is broad in scope, touching systems that define the game's core feel.
What changed
- Campaign Prologue added, featuring 2 new Operations set in a Northwest Pakistan hotspot
- Enemy AI received a substantial rework
- New armor system introduced
- Door overhaul implemented
- Map selection updated: 2 brand-new maps, 2 ground-up remakes, 1 map overhaul, and several other map upgrades
- Extraction added as a new game mode
- Character locomotion and animations updated
- New weapons and gear added
- Selectable moon phases introduced
- Visual and audio upgrades throughout
- Large number of bug and crash fixes
- Codebase refactored for stability and expandability
- Main menu updated with a new cinematic; music added or updated across menus and briefings
The developer describes V1.0 not as a conclusion but as a foundation — subsequent roadmap releases are planned to add campaign missions, features, and fixes, with hotfixes possible between major updates. A 20% launch discount is active for one week.
For players who stuck with the Early Access build, V1.0 represents the most complete version of the game to date, with the post-launch roadmap suggesting the gap between current and finished may continue to close steadily.
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